It’s that time of year. Washington and Highland schools in Crookston are gearing up for their annual Read-a-Thon. KROX sat down with Gina Gunderson, the Early Childhood Coordinator at Washington, Lorri Capistran, the Highland PTO Chair, and Marianne Isaacs, the Highland PTO Treasurer, to hear about this wonderful program that spans two weeks and raises funds for the schools.
“Highland and Washington Elementary schools are hosting their annual read-a-thon fundraisers,” says Capistran. “It will start on November 11 and last until November 22, and we are doing this as a fundraiser for both schools. We hope to get kids excited about reading because we know how important reading is, and it’s also a great way to support our readers with some fundraising for the schools.”
We asked Isaacs how people could get involved with the fundraiser. “Participation is very easy; each student will come home with a flyer, and it will have information for setup as well as information for donations,” says Isaacs. “There is a QR code that adults can scan with their phone, and there is also a website where you can type it into the URL.” Both of these methods will get you where you need to be, says Isaacs. “You look for your child’s name, and you just set up their account, and then as they are reading throughout the week at home each night, you just type in how many minutes they read.”
Isaacs went on to explain how to donate to the Read-a-thon. “Again, there is a QR code you can scan, as well as the URL you can type into a web browser, and so that information you can share it on Facebook, text message, whatever, share it out and so that way family and friends can sponsor your children as they are reading,” Isaacs says every child should receive a flyer that comes home that lists the read-a-thon. It will have a QR code for the setup and how to donate.
We asked Gunderson what the funds from the Read-a-Thon would be used for at Washington Elementary School. “At Washington School, we will use the funds raised to help cover the costs of our Early Childhood Events, as well as supplies that are needed in the classrooms and enrichment materials that the teachers request for their classrooms to enrich learning.”
Isaacs also informed us what the funds raised will be used for at Highland Elementary. “We have grades K through five at the school, so the funds will be used for various activities,” says Isaacs. “Our kindergartners have classroom activities that they are going to participate in, we have field trips for all of our grades, we have school supplies that students need, enrichment materials the teachers can ask for so we have somewhere they want to add art supplies for instance, so some, they want to have different types of seats,” says Isaacs. “Sometimes its different types of learning materials or things they can use to help children understand a concept better.” Isaacs says this fundraiser allows teachers to come to the school and ask for funds to provide for the children.
While the children at Highland are more likely to be able to do the reading themselves and log their time with the help of their parents, Washington Elementary kids are the youngest involved with the Read-a-Thon, and Gunderson hopes they will be encouraged to take part. “I would say at Washington school, with our youngest children, our early childhood students, we are excited for them to be reading at home with their families and encouraging family time.”
Highland Elementary does have some friendly classroom competition during Read-a-Thon. Isaacs told us it involves Root Beer Floats. Also, the class that logs the most reading time per student at Highland overall will receive a $100 gift certificate for new books for the classroom.
There are also six days during Read-a-Thon that the kids can dress up per the theme for the day. Isaacs explains. “We are going to wear Red for Read Every Day, we are going to have our Super Hero Day, Cat in the Hat (wear a hat or wear stripes day), we have a Wear a Shirt You Can Read Day, and of course Wacky Wednesday, and we will close it out with Snuggle Up and Read Day,” says Isaacs. “Everybody loves to wear their pajamas to school, so you can wear your pajamas and bring your favorite story.”
The Read-a-Thon begins Monday, November 11, and runs through Friday, November 22. It takes a village, and we can all help encourage our children to read daily while raising money for their schools.
